No Business Sense

Early this month, I have had the privilege to attend a Laboratory Assessors’ Training for assessors, technical assessors and technical experts.  Discussed were qualifications, evaluation of corrective actions and related practical exercises.  Our speaker was a technical expert on laboratory assessment from Germany.

In one of our exercises, he posted us with a challenge on HOW TO SURVIVE IN A COMPETITION MARKET WITH ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS.

We were divided into small groups to brainstorm on the topic.  After some unrestrained and spontaneous participation in the discussion, we scrutinized our output.  Most of us dwell on the management and technical issues such us getting accreditation, training the staff, benchmarking other laboratories, advertising our services, joining proficiency testings, etc. Wow name it, we have thought of all things possible.

What our speaker impressed upon us though was that most of us, technical person that we are, have no business sense.  Only a few suggested solutions like getting a bank loan, intensifying marketing, having alliance with other laboratories, getting some dummy personnel, closing the testing laboratory and do consultancy instead, etc.

Do technical people really have no business sense?  Coz’ that’s what I noticed too from among my circles of friends. Except for a few, those who are technical neglect the financial side of the business.  Others, I mean the non-technical ones, however, have thought instead of profits and practicality.   Now this calls for some reflections.